insurance benefits and the payroll tax cut. republicans literally laughed it off. >> they want... they want to have this extra spending that's actually greater than the amount they're willing to cut. i mean, it's... it's... was not a serious proposal. and so, right now, we're almost nowhere. >> reporter: across the capitol, republican senate leader mitch mcconnell told the "wall street journal" his party would be willing to bring in more tax revenues if the president agreed to tighten up the eligibility requirements for entitlements. mcconnell said that could mean higher medicare premiums for the wealthy, an increase in the medicare eligibility age and slower cost-of-living increases for social security. but he ruled out higher tax rates. most democrats have ruled out all of those cuts, arguing they would undermine the nation's most successful programs. the president asked for, but it appears republicans would be unlikely to agree to give the president the ability to raise the debt limit unless a super- majority in congress dis